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The Ag Team

Carl Peterson

Carl Peterson is proud to say, "I have lived in the same house my entire life and I've never had a job." Which means, Carl grew up and still lives on the home place his grandfather purchased in 1918. And that, as an entrepreneur and small business owner, he has never had to go through an employment interview. Carl thrives on identifying and solving problems. His professional credentials include a BS in Ag Production from Iowa State; MS in Ag Econ from Purdue; MBA from Indiana University; and is CCA accredited. Carl reads voraciously and most weekends he can be found playing piano and singing on his church worship team. And as a master of trivia, he always seems to have a quirky come-back.

Julie Peterson

Julie Peterson's responsibilities center on marketing and human resource management. But she is truly the glue that holds Peterson Farms Seed together as she is charged with "catching the things that can fall through the cracks" as a company grows. A proud native of Iowa, she feels blessed to be part of the vibrant North Dakota ag industry. As a staunch believer in the power of volunteerism, she actively participates in both youth development and ag advocacy projects.

Mike Larson

Mike Larson is devoted to doing his small part in feeding the world, with help from "great growers, awesome dealers and the best sales team." He's a seed sales manager and CCA by day. He's a ballroom dancer and gardener by night. He's served on the North Dakota Corn Growers Board, the North Dakota Ag Association and the Big Iron Committee. What is there that Mike can't do? We have yet to find anything.

Adam Spelhaug

As the agronomy manager, Adam Spelhaug works diligently to determine the best genetics for our region, bringing growers what they need in their fields. Adam has been making his mark on Peterson Farms Seed since 2005. When he's not discovering genetic breakthroughs, Adam can be found spending time with his family, golfing or bowhunting. He's a North Dakota State University alumnus, and he's proud of it. Don't take any UND green into his office.

Josh Tommerdahl

Growers in the Prosper area can trust that Josh Tommerdahl will help them grow the best crop possible on their ground. Committed to having a success story with every sale, Josh relies on his knowledge from his years in the industry, background in agriculture, and crop and weed science degree from North Dakota State University. When not in the office or the field, Josh can be found at the lake, on the golf course, or snowmobiling in Montana.

Kaelin Kyllo

With a deep-rooted passion for agriculture, Kaelin Kyllo strives to help growers in the Hunter area reach their goals. He does this by placing the right hybrids and varieties on the right soil types, a knack he's developed from his CCA experiences. When he isn't busy caring for growers, Kaelin is out on the golf course, the baseball field or the seat of a snowmobile.

Devan Hafner

Devan Hafner is eager to help farmers in the Hunter area select the right products for their farms. A Sykeston, ND native, Devan worked at PFS as a research intern his first summer. His second summer with PFS was spent as a sales agronomist intern, and he spent much of the summer as Mike Larson’s sidekick, learning from the best in the industry. His PFS experience, coupled with his farm background and work experience at NDSU Research Centers, makes him a great resource for area growers. We were thrilled to snag “Super Devan” when he completed his Crop and Weed Science degree from NDSU. When he’s not in the field, Devan can be found on the golf course, at the lake, or hunting and fishing.

Ben Askegaard

Ben Askegaard has a passion for providing Kindred area growers the hybrids and varieties they need. He's good at it too; thanks to his experience as a CCA and his crop and weed science degree from North Dakota State University. In the corn field and on the softball field, Ben is a competitor. During the summer, he is a pitcher for a fastpitch softball team in the Fargo-Moorhead area. And when he's not playing softball, Ben is on the lake.

Mike Sorby

Mike Sorby claims he has 'farming in his blood'. Having grown up on a farm south of Fargo, agriculture has always been his life. He completed his degree in agribusiness, and then followed it up with a career working directly with farmers, first with ag chemicals and now with seed. Mike says the best part of his job is "helping growers find the best hybrid suited to their particular fields." Mike's hobbies include "working, golf and the lake," in that order! And by the way, he answers to the name "Big Sexy."

Jeff Olson

Jeff Olson has a wealth of ag experience to share with farmers in central North Dakota. He has lived in Jamestown for most of his adult life and knows that farming area extensively as he has spent his entire career focused there. Jeff's ag credentials include a BS degree from NDSU in Ag Economics as well as his CCA accreditation. A native of Maddock, Jeff loves motorcycle riding as well as hunting and camping. You can frequently see Jeff 'clowning around' as a Shrine clown, raising funds for their children's hospitals.

Rob Wentz

Rob Wentz is passionate about selling and developing new markets. After 15 years in pharmaceutical and medical device sales, he needed a change of atmosphere. We are glad he chose ag. But Rob is no stranger to agriculture – he comes from a long line of farmers and even worked with our own Rocky Schumacher at AGSCO. When Rob is not helping dealers build and serve a loyal base of growers, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and putzing around in his shop.

Rocky Schumacher

As a longtime agricultural input salesman with AGSCO, Rocky Schumacher is applying over 30 years of industry expertise to the seed business after recognizing the opportunities seed sales held for him. Covering northwest Minnesota and northeast North Dakota, Rocky delivers growers and dealers the right products for the right situations. He enjoys every bit of his work, especially being around great people like our people. When he isn't working, Rocky likes to garden, ride his motorcycle, golf and ice-fish.

Rich Larson

An agronomy problem-solver extraordinaire and CCA, Rich Larson spends his days as a sales agronomist in southeastern North Dakota and eastern South Dakota. He is a North Dakota State University alumnus and has over 30 years of experience in the seed industry. Rich is committed to providing answers to dealers and growers. So much so, he might even look at a field planted to a competitor's seed to give a grower answers. During his downtime, Rich can be found cheering on his Bison, relaxing at the lake house, or spending time with family and friends.

Rob Thuringer

Nolan Berg

If you say “jump”, Nolan Berg won’t just ask “how high”… he’ll show you. Nolan pole vaulted for NDSU’s track team (his personal best is 16’ 2”), and his drive and determination carry over into his ever evolving position as Precision Systems Agronomist. With a master’s degree in Plant Sciences and tenure as track team captain, Nolan is a great fit to lead our precision ag activities, work with zone creation and UAV imagery, and assist with the seed increase program for new genetics. In his downtime, Nolan enjoys hunting, mountain biking, running, and photography.

Kristi Schultz

Jason Miller

Jason Miller came to Peterson Farms Seed on a whim, and now, he couldn't see himself working anywhere else. Working as a grower service representative and making up one part of the "J team," Jason works closely with sales agronomists, dealers and growers to ensure satisfaction at all stages of the sales process. Jason cherishes the relationships he's built over his years here. When he's not working, Jason spends his time snowmobiling, watching Redhawks baseball, and enjoying his wife's company.

Kayla Garrett

Kayla Garrett is a people person. Her passion for customer service and background in agriculture make her the perfect fit for our grower service team. As a grower service rep, Kayla works with growers to ensure that we are providing the best seed solutions for our region. When Kayla is not talking with our awesome growers or running the combine, she enjoys teaching group fitness classes at the YMCA, going to the lake, and spending time with friends and family, especially her two adorable nephews.